[Masaccio]

hey guyz im 13 and really really really wanna be artist for a living...i was just wondering how many of u here make a living from being an artist or be an artist on the side like your a business guy but are an artist as well kinda thing?
comments will be greatly apperiacted

[Xcal]

Hey Mas,

I'm sure there are many folks here that are professionals. It would probably be better if you asked a more specific question.

example: if you're a professional, how many times have you been told that you suck? (that's a pretty interesting question actually. I'd like to see the answers myself)

-------
Xcal
http://artofsin.com/

[genesequence]

I'm a full-time, pro. graphic designer (fancy title that includes art, but not exclusively). I make a reasonable living (not as much as if damn Medical School had taken me - bastards) which makes me lucky.

If you're serious, then stay in school, study hard, practise (drawing, etc.) all the time, read art and design magazines, and stay marketable by maintaining a broad set of design skills. Whew. That's was condensed.

Oh, and no one has told me I suck (to my face - which again is lucky), so I come here for that.

-genes

[NUR]

Hey mr.genes, if u r a professional plz tell me if i have talent or not after lookin' at my ... topic

i'm 18 and i seriously create digital from less than 2 months

(forgive me for my intrusion)

[Spiritwolf]

Another question you might want to ask, especially to yourself is - what kind of artist do I want to be? Illustrator, graphic designer, animator, 3d animator, photographer, performance artist, etc. You can't do everything the best...you have to go with your strengths, what you most enjoy, or what will make you the most money (sometimes theses coincide, but not always). You're 13 so you probably aren't sure (you might be, or think you might be, but there are still a lot of things to try even before you get to college or art school) and that's okay...so for right now it would probably be best just to have fun! I won't speak for the professional artists here, since I don't make money for what I do (except some web design), but it would probably be detrimental to be setting lofty goals and expectations right now. Just have fun and stay active...as you improve and grow some of the questions you have will take care of themselves. Expand your horizons as much as possible before you narrow down your career strategy. If you really want to get started on the art career path then talk to your guidance counselor, start building a portfolio of your works, and take the initiative in improving your artwork. Local museums often offer art classes, and so do community colleges.

But most of all HAVE FUN..you don't have to support yourself with you artwork yet so don't put to much pressure on yourself!

-Spiritwolf

[AliasMoze]

Masaccio,
It depends on what field you're looking to go into.

But, if it includes design arts, fine art, animation, or anything related, I would recommend that you start at the fundamental levels and go from there.

The fundamentals are, simple drafting (perspectives, etc.), figure drawing (drawing the human form, usually from life), color theory and beginning painting exercises. Those are the ones that leap to mind.

WORK hard and LISTEN to those who know. Those are the most important ingredients if you want to improve. Read books and get good direction from others, but you have to be able to deticate a chunk of your life to learning art, probably everyday. If you do work hard at the RIGHT things, you will get better.

Seriously, if you find the prospect of practicing fundamental skills over and over and over to be nondesirable, then ask yourself, "Why do I want to be an artist?" It takes work.

The best artists I know are never satisfied. They continue to practice the most basic of skills constantly.

------------------
AliasMoze

"That activates my hilarity unit."

[This message has been edited by AliasMoze (edited June 09, 2000).]

[synj]

well, okay i'll summarize my life from your current age. I doubt you wanna take this path, but just so you can see. I'm an animator/producer for a company called Z. I love it, its what I always wanted to do.

At 13 I just got on bbs's and killed the majority of my time chatting up until I was about 14 or 15. Around this time I saw a 3D video for that "i want my MTV" parody by weird al which made me wanna do 3D animation.. (but I didn't start till i was 19).

I tried to learn 2D animation but I just sucked at it.. so I went to just making 2D stills as a hobby.

in highschool right at the end of my senior year my teacher was neat enough to let me study 3D animation rather than do the majority of the other projects.

when I graduated highschool, my parents divorced so money was no longer an option = no college. I started a webpage about my art in hopes of exposure and an audience to entertain. I took the knowledge I collected about 3D animation and studied it for a year and a few months. I was so screwed, so desperate. and all the time i wasn't even taking my future into consideration.. just loving the art that came out of my studies.
just a few months ago i started to worry, though. like "where the hell am i going?". i only had an offer to be a teacher which i accepted and it fell through, so now what.

back to teaching myself, studying animation and art. dammmit.

THEN! i was contacted by email for something i would be happy doing as a career! and.. well thats where we are right now. that happened just last month. and i have a contract, so i can at least see where this one can fall through if it ever does. and thats not for a while so YAY

but overall, what i learned is that you really have to put your most into it. what's really important while doing this though is dont overwork yourself and bust your own balls - enjoy what you do and just make what you like. you're bound to have someone else like it if its quality enough (no matter what the technique).

i mean, during those last weeks of highschool as i studied art, i'd do it at home without ever coming out hehe and i lost the majority of my friends. they'd make fun of me and stuff but now a lot of them wish they did something similar with their own interests. nah nah!

just stick at what you love man, it will come back and give you a big kissy when its ready. i believe there's a place for everyone and all they gotta do is prove they want it.

-synj www.synj.net


[This message has been edited by synj (edited June 09, 2000).]